Covid-19 Coronavirus

Chief Minister highlights long-term pressures on health services

Friday, 16 August 2013

Lifestyle issues amongst young people as well as the growth in the elderly population are building up huge pressures for the future of the Island’s health services, Chief Minister Allan Bell MHK warned today.

Mr Bell said the Isle of Man could not expect to be immune from trends such as increased obesity in the young, and related problems like diabetes, which are affecting health services in the United Kingdom.

He commented:

‘Making provision for an ageing population is a major issue for public services in many countries, particularly in respect of health and social care. In the Isle of Man we expect health spending on the over 75s to roughly double over the next 20 years. But at the other end of the age spectrum there is concern that more young people are overweight or obese and exposed to the risk of serious health complications including diabetes and heart disease. The evidence we have indicates that the percentages of children and adults in the Isle of Man who are overweight or obese do not differ greatly from those in England.’

The Chief Minister added:

‘There are real challenges here for Government, our community as a whole and for individuals. The Island needs a national debate on how we will fund health services into the future, but in the meantime we must continue to encourage and support healthy lifestyles, to promote healthy diets and exercise for all age groups. Above all, individuals must accept responsibility for safeguarding their own wellbeing, and there does seem to be an increasing awareness of health issues amongst much of the population. In the case of families it is the parents who should be held responsible for ensuring that their children eat properly and take enough exercise. Failure to do so could be described as a form of child neglect.’

Issued By

Back to top